Canadian Civil Liberties Association
v. New Brunswick

Intervened in Canadian Civil Liberties Association v. New Brunswick


Egale


Case Update

In December 2024, the Government of New Brunswick updated Policy 713 so students under the age of 16 are not required to receive parental awareness to informally use their chosen first names and pronouns in a school setting, although such awareness is encouraged. Parental consent will be required for formal use.  

In January 2025, Egale Canada, along with co-intervenors Alter Acadie, Chroma NB, and Imprint Youth consented to the discontinuance of the litigation challenging the changes to Policy 713 made by the Government of New Brunswick in 2023.

Quick Facts

Case Status: Discontinued on consent

Case Name: Canadian Civil Liberties Association v. New Brunswick

Court: Court of King’s Bench New Brunswick

Egale’s Role: Co-Intervener

Representation: Adam Goldenberg, Ljiljana Stanic and Will Dandie from McCarthy Tétrault LLP and Bennett Jensen, Egale’s Director of Legal


Legal Case Background

In June 2023, the New Brunswick Department of Education and Early Childhood Development announced changes to the 2SLGBTQI inclusion policy, known as Policy 713, for New Brunswick public schools.

The changes removed protections for trans and gender diverse students and prevented many of those students from using their chosen names and pronouns in school. The changes created different and more restrictive rules for gender diverse students than their peers.

In September 2023, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association began a legal challenge to the Minister of Education and Childhood Development’s revisions to Policy 713. Egale Canada, along with New Brunswick-based 2SLGBTQI organizations Alter Acadie, Chroma NB, and Imprint Youth, were granted leave to intervene as added parties in litigation challenging the Government of New Brunswick’s changes to Policy 713.

Egale Canada, Alter Acadie, Chroma NB and Imprint Youth intervened as parties with the following goals:

  • To represent the interests of gender diverse young people under the age of 16 who are directly affected by the outcome of this case;
  • To introduce evidence about the effects of the changes to Policy 713 on gender diverse young people;
  • To make legal arguments on how the changes to Policy 713 unreasonably or unjustifiably limit gender diverse young people’s Charter rights.

Case Updates

September 11, 2023
  • The Canadian Civil Liberties Association began a legal challenge to the Minister of Education and Childhood Development’s revisions to Policy 713
October 19, 2023
  • Egale Canada and New Brunswick-based 2SLGBTQI organizations Alter Acadie NB, Chroma NB, and Imprint Youth submitted a motion to intervene in The Canadian Civil Liberties Association v. New Brunswick. The case is a legal challenge to the government of New Brunswick’s changes to Policy 713, which violates Charter protections for gender diverse students.
May 2, 2024
January 29, 2025
  • Egale Canada, along with co-intervenors Alter Acadie, Chroma NB, and Imprint Youth consent to the discontinuance of the litigation challenging the changes to Policy 713 made by the Government of New Brunswick in 2023.

Supporting Documents


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